Month: June 2016

Diaco Donates

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Our UConn football family is very fortunate to call The Burton Family Football Complex and Mark R. Shenkman Training Center our home. These facilities are among the finest in the nation and fully serve the needs of our football student-athletes. I want all Husky student-athletes and my fellow coaches to be able to enjoy the same caliber of facilities, which they richly deserve.

UConn Football Coach Bob Diaco on his $250,000 gift to help with the construction of facilities for UConn’s men’s and women’s soccer program, baseball program and softball program.
Source: courant.com

USMNT Eyeing a Semi-Final Birth

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After an amazing turn of events to close out the group stage in the Copa America Centenario, the US Men’s Soccer team emerged as the group A winner. That gave the US a quarterfinal matchup against the 2nd place finisher in group B, which would help them avoid Brazil. We didn’t know at the time that Brazil would ultimately lose and be eliminated from the Copa America tournament in the group stage for the first time since 1987. As a result, the US gets to play Ecuador in Seattle tonight at 9:30pm ET.

In the group stage, Ecuador played to a nil-nil draw with Brazil, a 2-2 draw with Peru and then beat Haiti 4-0. Ecuador is a formidable opponent, ranked #13 in the FIFA world ranking. They have not had much success in the Copa America, reaching the quarterfinals in 1997 and nothing much since. The World Cup has also not been their friend, reaching the Round of 16 in the 2006 World Cup, reaching the group stage in 2002 and 2014, and not even qualifying in 2010.

On the other side of the pitch, the USMNT hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. After a 2-0 loss to Columbia, they beat Costa Rica 4-0 and then Paraguay 1-0 to advance. Both wins were big for their confidence, but can they translate that into a good game tonight? The last time the US made any headway in the Copa America was a 4th place finish in 1995. In World Cup play the US has had some mild success, reaching the Round of 16 in 1994, 2010 and 2014 and the quarterfinals in 2002.

Tonight should be a tightly contested match and will be a true test of where the USMNT is at this moment. A win could propel them into a matchup with Argentina in the semi-finals, which would likely be where their Copa run ends. Either way, the Copa America tournament has been a good test for this young USMNT as they set their eyes on the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Steven Wright ’16 vs Pedro Martinez ’00

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Steven Wright has had a fantastic 2016 season thus far and is at, or near, the top of the AL in most pitching categories. His 2.22 ERA ranks 2nd in the AL and got me thinking about the last time a Red Sox starter posted an ERA under 2.30 for a season*. Not surprisingly, Pedro Martinez was the last starter to finish a full season with an ERA under 2.30 and he did it 4 out of 5 years from 1999 to 2003. How do the two pitchers compare (over 1 season, not a career)?

For the sake of comparison, I looked at Pedro’s 2000 season, arguably one of the best pitching performances in recent baseball history and Wright’s 2016 numbers, projected out for the full season. Disclaimer: I’m not trying to say Steven Wright is as good as Pedro or will have half the career Pedro had, because that would be moronic. I don’t expect Wright to continue his torrid early season pace throughout the entire season, but what if he does?

Now for those of you who hate numbers or charts, let me summarize. If Wright were to remain on his current pace through 13 starts, he would end the season as the best pitcher in the AL and have a legitimate Cy Young case. He would have one of the best seasons in recent history for the Red Sox, but, spoiler alert, he would not upend Pedro even at this pace. In fairness to Wright and every other pitcher who has, and will, don the Red Sox uniform, it’s likely no one will ever have a better season than 2000 Pedro given how baseball has changed over the last 15+ years, not to mention a better 5-year span.

All of these numbers are just to say: Steven Wright is more than just a nice storyline. He is having a historic season thus far. As with any pitcher, but especially a knuckleballer, it could all fall apart the next time he toes the rubber, but for now, Wright is a serious contender for the best pitcher in the AL.

Footnotes:
*Buchholz had a 1.74 ERA in 2013, but he only pitched in 16 games.
+2016 Projected numbers are based on 32-33 starts this season, keeping the ERA and hits/9 IP steady, and increasing his HR/9 IP slightly.
++2016 Projected rank is based on where Wright would have ranked in the AL for the 2015 season.

Close Games Continue to Hurt Red Sox

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AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Last night’s pitcher’s duel between David Price and Chris Tillman lived up to the hype. Both starters looked a little vulnerable early on, then settled in nicely with shutdown stuff. Unfortunately for Price, of the 5 hits he allowed, 2 were HRs leading to a 3-2 loss. This was the 14th game this year the Red Sox have played with the final score being a 1-run differential and they are 5-9 in those contests.

For me, close game records say a lot about a team. They give a glimpse into the team’s ability to pull together and rally. In last night’s game, the Red Sox bullpen was strong (only Craig Kimbrel for 1 inning), but their offense could not produce the big hit when needed. Earlier in the game, there were chances with runners on base and less than 2 outs that resulted in nothing.

The once over-powering offense top to bottom now has more holes than swiss cheese. Hanley Ramirez and Travis Shaw both had hits last night, but have been struggling mightily as of late. Christian Vazquez is what he is: a top tier defensive catcher who will hit in the low .200s. Jackie Bradley Jr. is coming back to earth with his average dropping from .350 on May 25th to .310 on June 15th. On their own, none of these things are season-changers, but all together it amounts to some serious struggle.

In June, the Red Sox have a 4-7 record and are 0-3 in 1-run games. Overall they are 15-17 against AL East opponents. Things are trending in the wrong direction.

Wanted: Starting Pitcher for Friday

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The Red Sox are coming off a rare stretch during the long MLB season of just 5 games in 8 days. This light span allowed John Farrell to continue his 4-man rotation and not think about who should be their 5th starter going forward. With 16 straight games beginning today and no off-day until June 30, the Red Sox are forced into determining who should join the rotation going forward. Based on John Farrell’s comments on Sunday, I think he is approaching this situation all wrong.

“One of the things that we’ll factor in is we would look to match up as best as possible,” Farrell said. “On one series, is it a left-hander? The other series is it a right-hander? And we’ve got the flexibility to do that.”

It is a mistake to treat the 5th starter role with flexibility and base decisions on certain match-ups and here’s why…

Two of the names likely being considered for the call-up are Roenis Elias and Henry Owens. Elias has looked strong as of late, allowing 2 or fewer earned runs in 4 of his last 5 starts. In those 4 starts, he pitched at least 7 innings, including a complete game effort on June 5. He deserves a serious look. Owens has struggled a bit this year, but seems to be improving despite only completing more than 6 innings once in 10 starts with Pawtucket this year. 

By bringing up Elias or Owens for one start and then sending him back down, you aren’t allowing him to settle in to the routine and get comfortable with the team. There is immense pressure on that 1 outing, with the knowledge that they are likely done in the majors when they walk off the mound regardless of performance. The revolving door is a mistake. Bring up one of these guys and give them 3 or 4 consecutive starts to prove their worth. Let them settle into the team, the routine, the travel and give them a chance to spend time between starts with Carl Willis and the MLB staff. If you really want to develop these young players, give them a fair chance at proving their worth.  

The other option for the 5th starter role is Clay Buchholz. All I will say is no. He is terrible and should be back down in the minors, not in the bullpen. If Farrell choose Buchholz to start, he deserves to lose his job immediately.

My hope is that we see Roenis Elias for an extended period of time. He has proven his worth in AAA, has big league experience and has earned the right to prove himself with the Red Sox. In reality, I think Farrell is going to use guys as spot starters and miss a great opportunity.

Are the Red Sox a Legitimate Contender?

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The short answer: No.

The longer answer begins with looking at the first 62 games of the season. On their third off-day in a week, the Red Sox sit at 36-26, tied for 1st place in the AL East with the Baltimore Orioles. On the surface, that’s a strong place to be 1/3 of the way through the year. Sitting atop a perennially great division while tied for the 2nd best record in the AL is reason to get excited, but the Red Sox roster still has several concerning holes.

We all know the Red Sox offense can score runs in bunches. They have scored 6+ runs in 30 games this year and eclipsed the double-digit mark 8 times, including 4 straight 10+ run games in early May. The bats have leveled off a little in June, but the lineup is potent top to bottom with different guys who can come up big on any given day. If everyone can stay healthy and no one dives into a deep slump (besides Travis Shaw’s current landslide) this offense is good enough to make a deep playoff run. The bigger concern is the pitching staff.

I know it’s been said 1,348,484 times this season already, but it’s still true: The Red Sox desperately need a top-tier starting pitcher. David Price has begun to look better as of late and hopefully is rounding into his ace self. Steven Wright has pitched like an ace, but we all know how finicky the knuckleball can be, especially over long periods of time. Rick Porcello has had some early success, but has allowed 3+ earned runs in 9 of his 13 starts and has been knocked out of the game before the 7th inning in 4 of his last 6 starts. After that, it’s a jumble of crap.

Eduardo Rodriguez has the potential to be great, but after coming back from his spring training injury, has not been the savior Red Sox nation had hoped. Clay Buchholz is in the bullpen because he is terrible, Joe Kelly is back in Pawtucket for the same reason, and the Red Sox have yet to name a 5th starter for this week because there is no obvious choice waiting in the wing.

The bullpen has been decent this year, but incredibly overtaxed. John Farrell is putting 41-year old Koji Uehara on the mound significantly more than he would like and placing Matt Barnes in high-leverage situations because he has no other choice. Craig Kimbrel has been very good this year, collecting 14 saves, but deep into the season and postseason, who bridges the gap to him? Will Koji and Tazawa have anything left in the tank? With the loss of Carson Smith, the Red Sox also need a late-innings bullpen arm to relieve the pressure.

All of this amounts to trouble the remainder of the season and certainly in the postseason unless some moves are made by the deadline. A common refrain is pitching wins championships and it tends to be true. Hitting can cover-up for mediocre pitching during the regular season, but the postseason exposes those weaknesses. 

In order to win a divisional series you need a strong 1-2 with a solid late-inning bullpen, but to win a championship series or World Series you need 3 strong starters and a deep, strong bullpen. The Red Sox have holes in both the rotation and bullpen. They have a ways to go before I declare them a legitimate contender.

BrockStar Taking a Step Forward

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image

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

On this his 28th birthday, Brock Holt, aka BrockStar, is working his way back from a head injury that he suffered on May 10. The injury left Holt with a concussion and what was described as “mild” symptoms. He started taking batting practice and shagging balls in the outfield last week, but has yet to be cleared for a rehab assignment. Given the sensitivities around concussions, the Red Sox are using an over-abundance of caution when handling Holt’s return, but progress is progress.

The BrockStar was the Red Sox lone All-Star representative last year and was incredibly valuable throughout the season, despite a weak campaign overall from the team. His biggest value is in his ability to play every position on the diamond. He played every position in the field except catcher throughout the year, even DH’ing once, and making the transition – sometimes mid-game – seamlessly. His offensive numbers don’t jump out at you and Brock is not a superstar in the making, but he is an extremely important piece on a team with postseason aspirations.

Happy Birthday BrockStar, we hope to see you out there soon!

David Ortiz Has a Sticky Crotch

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Back before David Ortiz was one of the greatest hitters in Red Sox history, he was a clubhouse prankster in Minnesota. Towards the end of his tenure with the Twins, Ortiz was part of some pretty fantastic pranks involving Corey Koskie, including an epic peanut butter incident. Let’s hear the story from their teammate Torii Hunter, as published in the Player’s Tribune.

“David was really messing with all of us a lot early in that 2002 season, always talking and joking and pranking. But Koskie thought it was time for payback. So in the middle of a game, he went back into the clubhouse to David’s locker and lined his underwear with peanut butter. After the game, we were all sitting in the clubhouse, and David came out of the showers, went to his locker and started getting dressed. He was talking to us — he was always talking — as he was getting dressed, so when he slid his tightie-whities on, he didn’t even realize that there was a lot of peanut butter in there. We were all just sitting there, waiting for it to hit him …

Then he put his pants on. Nothing.

Then his shirt. Then his shoes. Then his coat. Still nothing.

He started walking away, and we were like, OK, does he have peanut butter in there? Or is he just used to having stuff between his legs?

Right when he gets to the door, about 10 yards away from us, he freezes, turns and looks back …
“Yoooooou motherfuckers!” … In that signature Papi voice.

He went off. He was screaming, cursing at us, and we were literally rolling on the clubhouse floor while he got undressed and got back in the shower to clean the peanut butter out of his butt. We were like, “What took you so long to notice?! Are you used to that?!””

In honor of his retirement, the Twins gifted Ortiz with a jar of peanut butter before Friday’s series opener to commemorate that incident. Maybe the oddest inside-joke retirement gift of all time.

Fool Me Twice Aaron Dobson, Shame on Me

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AP Photo/Elise Amendola

The New England Patriots are already hard at work in training camp and a familiar refrain is once again beginning: “Aaron Dobson looks great”. We’ve been down this road before, one headline during last year’s training camp read “Aaron Dobson Standing Out Among Receivers In Patriots Training Camp” (NESN.com) and the Providence Journal wrote “Aaron Dobson has continued to stand out”. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

Every year I look at the depth on the Patriots roster and think, “Which one of these guys in the middle of the pack will step up and have a big year?” For the last few years, the name Aaron Dobson has jumped out at me. He’s 6’3”, 205 lbs and is in his early-mid 20’s with tons of potential. I think, “If he stays healthy, this is his year to break out.”

Dobson has all the makings of a very good NFL caliber WR. His aforementioned size is an asset and he comes from a very solid Marshall football program – where he excelled. He was ranked in the top 20 at his position coming out of college and was considered a great choice for the Patriots at the end of the 2nd round. Mike Mayock wrote on NFL.com, “I like his size at 210 pounds. His production was good but not elite. I’ll tell you what he is: He’s raw, but he’s got upside. He put on a show at his pro day.” He sounds like a great Belichick pick. He has the skill, just need to get him some instruction and mold him into an NFL WR.

Considering the lack of WR depth for the Pats over the past several years, you would think Dobson would have more than enough chances to shine. In 2013, he played in 12 games and caught 37 passes for 519 yards. It seemed as though he was on his way to establishing himself as an important player for this team. Then in 2014 he was a healthy scratch for most of the early season before finally tearing his hamstring during week 13. He played in 4 games and caught 3 balls for 38 yards. Last season wasn’t much better: 13 receptions for 141 yards.

I’m done thinking Aaron Dobson will be a contributor to this team. Potential means nothing if you can’t live up to it.